Houseboat Licence Terms and Conditions

1. Definitions

The following words have the following meanings: 

Blackwater has the same meaning as contained in the Regulations;    

Competent person means any Goulburn-Murray Water approved person who possesses -    

1. qualifications admitting him or her to membership of the Institute of Naval Architects or the Institute of Engineers Australia;
2. A qualification admitting a person as a graduate member of the Institute of Engineers;
3.  A Marine Engineer/Chief Engineer qualification;
4.   A person who is qualified as a -
   • Boilermaker
   • Shipwright (Boating Mechanic)
   • Motor Mechanic
   • Plumber, and 

who has a minimum of four years cumulative work experience in the commercial design, construction and repair of Houseboats.

e. On the basis of experience only, the minimum level of cumulative work experience in the design, construction and repair of Houseboats of not less than eight years.

NOTES

1. According to the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority, all qualifications listed for Part (d) require a four-year apprenticeship with the exclusion of the Marine Engineer/Chief Engineer qualification which requires a five year Certificate of Competency as a Marine Engineer course and five years relevant experience on a ship. 
2. The Corporation considers a period of eight years cumulative work in the design, construction and repair of Houseboats to be an appropriate level of experience where there are no formal qualifications. This period is equal to that of a Competent Person assessed on the basis of a formal qualification and not less than four years continuous and relevant experience.

Corporation means Goulburn-Murray Rural Water Corporation, a statutory corporation established under the Water Act 1989 and where the context requires the Corporations employees and agents;

Day barge means a houseboat conversion or new day barge which complies with condition 14 of these Terms and Conditions and has no sleeping accommodation on it;  

Expiry Date means a Houseboat Licence expires on 30 June next following the date of issue; 

Greywater has the same meaning as contained in the Regulations; 

Houseboat Licence means a licence issued under the Regulations;

Licence Fee means an annual or pro-rata amount, to be paid in advance by consecutive annual payments;

Licensed plumber has the same meaning as in section 221B(1) of the Building Act 1993;

Licensee means the person, Company or Incorporated Association who holds a current licence issued under the Regulations; 

Recreational Area means an area defined or identified by the Corporation as a recreational area from time to time;

Regulation means the Water (Lake Eildon Recreational Area) (Houseboats) Regulations 2024;

Structural Upgrade/s means any changes that will alter the length, width or enclosed levels of the houseboat, any new or additional pontoons or any installation or upgrade or alteration to a blackwater system;       

Term means the period of time from the issue of the Houseboat Licence to the Expiry Date;

Waterway means Lake Eildon.    

2. Transfer of Houseboat and Houseboat Licence

The Licensee must: 

2.1      Upon the sale of a houseboat, notify the Corporation that the sale has occurred and do all things necessary and required by the Corporation in order to effect transfer of the Houseboat Licence to the new owner. 

2.2      Failure to transfer the Houseboat Licence to the new houseboat may result in revocation of the Houseboat Licence in accordance with regulation 13, or non-issue of the Houseboat Licence at the next Expiry Date. 

3. Ownership and Production of Vic Roads Registration

4. Slipping

For the purpose of ensuring a greywater or blackwater system is in good working order the Licensee must: 

4.1      Ensure that the houseboat is slipped at least every 5-7 years; and

4.2      Ensure that an inspection is undertaken by a Competent person and a Compulsory Houseboat Inspection Report (CHIR) provided to the Corporation prior to the houseboat being relaunched back onto the Waterway;

4.3     Failure to slip the houseboat in accordance with clause 4.1 may result in revocation of the Houseboat Licence in accordance with regulation 13, or non-issue of the Houseboat Licence at the next Expiry Date;

4.4     Ensure that all greywater and blackwater systems comply with the current standard as contained in Schedule 1 and 2 of the Regulations.  

 

5. Houseboat size limits

5.1      A houseboat must not exceed 18.3 metres in length and 7.25 metres in width and 12 metres in height.   

5.2      The houseboat dimensions set out in accordance with clause 5.1 are inclusive of all structural components of the houseboat, including but not limited to walkways, duckboards, ski platforms, handrails bumpers, eaves and motors.

6. Commercial hire prohibited

6.1       The Licensee, or any other person/s, must not: 

1. trade or offer for hire any houseboat or houseboat service;
2. Display or advertise any houseboat for trade, profit or hire; or
3. Undertake any commercial activity on a houseboat.     

Unless the Licensee does so under and in accordance with a permit issued by the Corporation.     

6.2     A contravention of 6.1 may result in the revocation of the Houseboat Licence in accordance with regulation 13, or non-issue of the Houseboat Licence at the next Expiry Date. 

7. Upgrade or alteration of an existing houseboat

7.1     Licensees intending to undertake any upgrades or alterations to the licensed houseboat that will result in a structural upgrade/s or the houseboat being classified in a higher category, must first obtain approval from the Corporation by completing and forwarding to the Corporation at 19 High Street, Eildon VIC 3713 an ‘Application to upgrade or alter existing houseboat’ along with the plans of the proposed works in accordance with clause 10.   

7.2     Following approval of the ‘Application to upgrade or alter existing houseboat’ and receipt of the plans by the Corporation, a final inspection of the houseboat by the Corporation is required before the houseboat may re-enter the Waterway.

7.3     All houseboat maintenance must be carried out in a manner which prevents waste material entering the Waterway. 

8. Houseboat renovations/alterations (Blackwater)

Licensees intending to undertake any alterations to blackwater installations must: 

8.1     first obtain approval from the Corporation by completing and forwarding to the Corporation at 19 High Street, Eildon VIC 3713 an ‘Application to upgrade or alter existing houseboat’ along with the plans of the proposed works;

8.2     comply with the specifications set out in Schedule 1 of the Regulations; and

8.3     ensure that the system is brought up to the current standard as contained in Schedule 1 of the Regulations.   

9. Houseboat plan requirements

10. Replacement of a licensed houseboat

10.1      Prior to commencing construction of a new houseboat, the Licensee must obtain approval from the Corporation by completing and forwarding to the Corporation at 19 High Street, Eildon VIC 3713 an  ‘Application for a licence to operate or leave a houseboat within the Lake Eildon Recreational Area’ form with the following;

1. a copy of the proposed houseboat plans;
2. payment of the current fee for the application/examination of plans. 

10.2      An existing Houseboat Licence will not be transferred to the newly constructed houseboat where the annual Houseboat Licence has lapsed due to non-payment of the Licence Fee. 

10.3   The houseboat to be replaced must be removed from the Waterway prior to the newly constructed houseboat being approved to launch and the removal of the houseboat must be confirmed by forwarding a statutory declaration confirming the houseboat has been removed from the Waterway to the Corporation at 19 High Street, Eildon VIC 3713. 

10.4   Prior to the new houseboat being approved to launch:   

1. A final inspection of the new houseboat must be arranged with the Corporation of the houseboat, to ensure that the boat has been constructed in accordance with the approved plans;  
2. The relevant inspection fee has been forwarded to the Corporation and a minimum of one week notice has been given to the Corporation to arrange the inspection;   
3. Written verification from a marina operator that an approved mooring is available for the houseboat;
4. Confirmation from a licensed plumber that the houseboat has been inspected for general plumbing and complies with Schedule 1 and 2 of the Regulations;
5. A copy of the new houseboats Vic Roads registration must be submitted to an officer of the Corporation.   

11. Guarding requirements for greywater, effluent, and fuel

 

12. Compliance with Regulations

For the purposes of ensuring compliance with the Regulations, the Corporation may request: 

12.1         A Licensee produce evidence, such as a compliance certificate which has been issued by a licensed plumber, in accordance with Part 12A of the Building Act 1993, for all plumbing work in respect of the blackwater and greywater installations required for the houseboat.

12.2         Failure of the Licensee to produce evidence in accordance with clause 12.1 may result in revocation of the Houseboat Licence in accordance with regulation 13, or non-issue of the Houseboat Licence at the next Expiry Date. 

12.3         If the Houseboat Licence is revoked or not renewed in accordance with clause 12.2, the Licensee must remove the houseboat from the Recreational Area within 30 days of notice from the Corporation, at the Licensee’s expense.  The notice is deemed served if served personally, posted, or emailed to the last known address held by the Corporation. 

13. Debt Collection

If a Licensee fails to pay their Houseboat Licence fees by the required date(s) stated in an invoice, the Corporation may take the following action:

13.1     Send a reminder notice(s) to the Licensee requesting payment;   

13.2     Send a withdrawal of offer notice advising that the Corporations offer to renew the annual Houseboat Licence to operate a houseboat is withdrawn, or a Notice of Contravention, directing the Licensee to remove the houseboat from the Waterway by the time stipulated in the notice.

 

14. Houseboat Conversions/Day Barges

A houseboat conversion to a day barge or a new day barge must comply with the following: 

14.1     must only contain a maximum of two enclosed (solid) sides;

14.2     must not contain a holding tank toilet;  

14.3     must not contain any benches in excess of 1.5 meters which may be used to sleep on;

14.4     must have an approved mooring and provide evidence of their proof of mooring to the Corporation upon request;

14.5     must be Vic Roads registered and provide proof of registration to the Corporation upon request;

14.6     Must not contain a galley kitchen. 

A houseboat conversion to a day barge or a new day barge may: 

14.7     contain PVC sliders on one or more sides of the day barge which will not be deemed an enclosed or solid side;

14.8     contain a portable toilet and a hand basin;   

14.9     contain a bbq and fridge/ice box. 

Appendix 1 - Categories

Table describing the categories of houseboats

Category	Maximum Size	Description
1	10m x 3.5m	A trailable houseboat able to be transported without the need for a Vic Roads permit (upgradeable)
2	10.6m x 4.5m	One enclosed level, non trailable (not upgradable)
3	10.6m x 4.5m 13.7m x 5.5m	Two or more enclosed levels (upgradeable) Houseboat with one enclosed level (upgradeable)
4	13.7m x 5.5m 15.2m x 6.25m	Two or more enclosed levels (upgradeable) One enclosed level (upgradeable)
5	15.2m x 6.25m 18.3m x 7.25m	Two or more enclosed levels (upgradeable) One enclosed level (upgradeable)
6	18.3m x 7.25m	Two enclosed levels (not upgradeable)
7	20m x 8m	Special – commercial houseboat

Note:

Houseboat dimensions are inclusive of all structural components, which includes walkways, duckboards, ski platforms, handrails, bumpers/buffers, eaves & motors.  Any part of the vessel that protrudes outside of the maximum allowable category dimension must fold or retract within the allowable category dimensions.

The Corporation currently defines categories by the houseboat dimensions and the number of enclosed levels.  An area is considered an enclosed level when three or four sides are constructed of a solid material i.e. Aluminium, glass, Perspex or any other cladding or material.  

GMW reference: A3189153